Insulator



April 15 1924. 1,490,080

A. o. AUSTIN NSULATOR Filed Sept. 5. v1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 15 1924. 1,490,080A

A. O. AUSTIN INSULATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1s, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR O. AUSTIN, 0F BABBERTONfOHIO, ASSIGNOR, BYVMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JER- BEY.

INSULATOR.

Application led September 5, 1919. Serial No. 821,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR O. AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to insulators and similar structures and has for its object the provision of a device of the class named which shall include resilient connection between the parts and which shall be of improved construction and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement Ofparts shown in the accompanying drawings and'desribed in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a central sectional view of an insulator showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the insulator pin showing a modified form of the invention.

Figs. 3 and 4 each illustrates another modification of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section showing a different form of the invention.

Fig; 6 is a fragmentary section showing a loc ing arrangement for a resilient member illustrated in Fig. 5.

In my prior Patents No. 1,284,976, dated November 19, 1918` and No. 1, 291,713, dated January 2l, 1919, I have shown an insulator provided with means cooperating with the cement to provide resilient connection between the parts. The present invention in'- cludes certain improvements over the device shown in my prior patents.

In Fig. 1 of t e drawings the numeral 10 designates the ielecta'ic member of an insulator supported by a'eap 11 and provided with a pin 12 for carrying the loads suspended by the insulator. The pin 12 is provided with a plurality of circumferential flanges 13 which are longitudinally spaced on the pin and which afford a relatively resilient connection between the pin and the dielectric member, or cement, or holdingr medium. The anges 13 on pin 12 are enclosed in a thin sheet metal thimble or sleeve 14 which is preferably grooved circumferentially as shown at 14', the grooves being arranged to extend inwardly between the flanges 13. The sleeve 14 may be integral or formed in parts held in place by the cement or other means. The sleeve 14 bears upon the flan es 13 adjacent their peripheries but prefere. l a slight clearance is permitted between tie very outermost portions of the flanges and the sleeve 14 as shown at 15. This causes the sleeve to bear upon each flange on each side thereof adjacent the outer periphery so that slight movement of the sleeve is permitted inv a radial direction relative to the pin 12. The outer face of the sleeve 14 'is connected to the dielectric member 10 by interposed cement 16 in a manner similar to that shown in my prior 'patents referred to above. It will be apparent, however, that in no place 'is there an absolutely unyielding bearing between the pin and the cement. The corrugated sleeve 14 will give under pressure at any point unless it is backed by an unyielding support, and since the-sleeve bears only on the sides of the yielding flanges 13, there is no point where the sleeve 1s un yieldingly backed. This'yielding connection between the pin and the dielectric member not onlyV lessens the danger of cracking from uneven expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, but also effects a distribution of stresses in the dielectric member which greatly reduces the dangerous effect of such stresses.

It will be noted that the flanges 13 vary in thickness and spacing upon the in 12 and this variation in the flanges is or the purpose of securing a graduation in the stress transmitted from the pin to the fragile portion of the insulator. It will 'be readily apparent that the stiffer flanges will transmit, a greater portion ofthe stress from the pin to the fragile member and that where the flanges are arranged more closely together a greater portion of the stress will be transmitted than at points where the iianges are more widely distributed. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the stress transmitted to the fragile portion of the insulator will be greatest adjacent the central portion of the flanged pin and will gradually decrease toward the ends of the flanged portion. This arran ment is found to be eiective in reducing t e dangerous stresses, such as shearing and tension, and consequently greatly to increase theload which may be safely carried by an insulator of a given size.

It. will be apparent that the same arrangement which is applied to the pin is also applicable to the connection between `tween the metal sleeve andthe flanged suport which carries the sleeve isleft open, eingdilled only with air. It may be desirable in some cases to have this space occuied by some form of yielding material, and 1n Fig. 3 a pin 12 similar to that shown in Fig. 1 is represented as provided with a sleeve 14 and the space between the pin.and sleeve is filled with yieldin material 20. This material may be a resi ient substance such as a weak cellular cement or rubber, which will spring back when compressed, and give some support to thin walls of the shell or thimble, or it may be an easil yielding non-resilient material such as lea which will be permanently deformed by compression and thus accommodate the shape of thebacking for the'sleeve 14 to .the requirements of a particular installa- 14 may be considerably varied and that the points of connection between the sleeve and the flanges 13 may also be changed. In the form of the invention shown in Fi 2 the corrugations of the sleeve 14 instea of extending inwardl between the flanges 13 project outward y and the sleeve is provided With slight grooves 21 which. are su ported upon the peripheries of t e ilanges 13.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 an inner sleeve 22 is carried b ianges 23 of the in 12 in a manner similar to that shown 1n Fig. 1, but in this case the flanges 23 are re resented as arranged to form the threads o a screw and the sleeve 22 may bear directly on the peripherics of the flanges. The corrugations of the sleeve will conform to the threaded arrangement of the flanges 23 so that the sleeve may be screwed into place on the pin. A second or outer sleeve 24 is provided with corrugations of threaded form so that the outer sleeve may be threaded into engagement.Y

parent that by this arrangement there is no part of the outer sleeve which is provided with an absolute-ly xed or rigid backing so that all portions of the outer sleeve are free `to yield to pressure exerted against it.v

'Ihe dielectric member 25 in this case is provlded with threaded grooves into which the outer sleeve 24 may be threaded directly.

without vthe necessity of the interposition of cement. i

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the insulator is provided with a cap 25 which may be of pressed sheet steel as' provided with peripheral corrugations 29 which may be arranged in the form of a helical screw, as shown in the figure. The wall of the cap 25 has a plurality of tongues 30 punched inwardly'and arranged in the form 0f a helix of the Same pitch as the screw formed by the corrugations 29. It will be apparent that the cup 28 may be threaded into the interior of the cap 25 and that the tongues 30 will provide resilient supports for the corrugations on the cu'p. Cement 31 or other connecting material is interposed between the inner face of the cup 28 and the sanded surface 27 for securing the dielectric member 26 to the resilient cup 28. The entire structure thus formed may be threaded into the cap 25 thus providing a detachable connection between the insulator and the cap. The cap 25 may be provided with one or more tongues 32, as illustrated in Fig. 6, which can be bent into depressions in the lower corrugation on the cup 28 to lock the two arts together. If, at any time, it is desira le to separate the parts, as in case of failure of one of the parts, the tongues 32 may be sprung outwardly by a pair of rpliers or other suitable tool andthe parts unscrewed from one another. Since the member 28 which bears against the cement 31 is resilient throughout, and since it is resiliently supported on the cap 25 by the tongues 30, it is apparent that the entire bearing between the cap 25 and the cement will permit of yielding at any point, thus preventing concentration of stresses at any given position in the cement.

The pin 12 in the interior of the dielectric member is provided with resilient flanges 33 which may be arranged at an angle to the kpin 12 and which are formed in the shape of threads of a helical screw. An envelop or thimble 34 of resilient sheet material 1s provided with yperipheral corruga tions 35 which constitute the threads 0f a llt helical* screw of'a pitch corresponding to that of the flanges 33. The thimble 34 is threaded over the pin 12 and is then connected with the dielectric member 26 by cement 36. Any suitable form of lock may be provided for holding the parte 12 and 34 from unsere-wing under load, or the )arts may it sufliciently tight to resist ten ency to separate in this manner. The sheet metal thimble 34 provides a resilient member for engaging the cement 36 and this member is supported from the pin 12 by resilient projections so that every point of contact between the pin and the cement is capable of yielding under stress. The arrangement also provides a detachable vconnection between the parts.

If the metallic arts of an insulator are provided with projecting points or thin ribs for providing resilient connect-ion with the dielectric member, they have a tendency to concentrate the electrostatic flux which may damage the dielectric or holding medium. A covering or envelop of sheet metal over these projections, as provided by this invention,A overcomes this difiiculty and gives a practically uniform {iux distribution. This feature is especially valuable in high frequency, high potential installations, such as are used in Wireless Work.

I claim:

1. An insulator, comprising a plurality of parts, and means for connecting said parts to one another, comprising `a yielding member for engaging one of said parts and yielding means for connecting said member to the other of said parts comprising yielding spacers having contact with said yielding member only at spaced points distributed thereon, said yielding Amem er being secured -to said spacers to transmit the load on said insulator from one of said parts to the other through said spacers and yielding member.

2. n insulator, comprising a plurality of arts, a yielding member of sheet material or engaging one of said parts, and yielding spacers for connecting said member with the other of said arts said spacers having contact with saidl sheet member only at spaced points thereon to support said sheet member in spaced relation with the lastmentioned part, said yielding member being secured to said spacers to transmit the load on said insulator from one of said parts to the other through said spacers and yielding member.

3. An insulator, comprising a plurality of parts, a sheet metal sleeve engaging one of said parts, and means for yleldingly connecting said sleeve with another of said parts, said connecting means having yielding contact with said sleeve at spaced intervals thereon and supporting the intervening portions of said sleeve free from direct supporting bearing. l

4. An insulator, comprising a member having resilient projections thereon, and a resilient member of sheet material supported by said projections and having contact therewith at yielding portions only thereof While ortions of said sheet materialintermediate the contacting portions are free from supporting contact.

5. An insulator, comprisin a connecting member having resiliently flexible projections thereon, a resilient member oi' sheet material supported at spaced intervals by said projections and in spaced relation with said connecting member and a dielectric member connected with said member of sheet material. Y

6. An insulator, comprising a metallic supporting member having resiliently Hexible projections thereon, a resilient sheet metal sleeve carried by a plurality of said projections, and a dielectric member connected with said sleeve.

7. An insulator, comprising a metallic supporting member having spaced resilient projections thereon, a sleeve of resilient corrugated sheet metal carried by said projections, and contacting with said projections adjacent the extremities only thereof. and a dielectric member secured to said supporting member by said sleeve and projections.

S. An insulator, comprising a supporting member and a dielectric member. and means for transmitting stress in the direction oi the load on said insulator from one of said members to the other comprising a resilient member engaging said dielectric member and spaced resilicntli flexible projections on said supporting member and engaging said resilient membri' and secured thereto against movement in the direction of the load.

9. An insulator. comprising a dielectric member, a member composed of yielding sheet material Connected with said dielectric member. a supportI for said dielectric member, and projections on said support for connecting said member of sheet material with said support, said sheet material member being carried on flexible yielding extremities of said projections to permit yielding at all points Where projections Contact with said member of sheet material and to leave other portions of said sheet material free from supporting contact.

10. An insulator, comprising a sup orting member having yielding projections thereon, said projections having dili'rrent degrees of resiliency at dierent points on said suporting member, a dielectric member carried Ey said supporting member, and a member of yielding sheet material interposed between said projections and said dielectric member.

11. VAn insulator, comprising a supporting member having yielding projections unlos llU

equally spaced thereon, a dielectric member connected with said supporting member, and a member of yielding sheet material interposed between said projections and said dielectric member for connecting said supportin member with said dielectric member.

1Q. n insulator, comprising a supporting member having a plurality of unequally spaced resilient protjfections thereon, said projections having di erent degrees of resiliency at different positions on said supporting member, a dielectric member connected with said supporting member, and a member of yielding sheet material inter osed bctween said projections and said dielectric member for connectin ber with said supporting member.

13. An insulator, comprising a' metallic member having resilient projections unequallpaced thereon and arranged to afford i erent degrees of resiliency at different positions on said supporting member, a dielectric member connected with said supporting member, and a sleeve of resilient sheet material inter sed between said dielectric member an transmitting stresses between said projections and said dielectric member.

14. An insulator, comprising a support' i ient ing member having a lurality` of res iianges thereon, a die ectric member con nected `with said supporting member, and a corrugated resilient sleeve interposed begeen said fianges and said dielectric mem- 15. An insulator comprising a metallic part and a dielectric member, said metallic part having spaced resilient projections thereon for transmitting mechanical stress to said dielectric member, and an envelope oi conducting materialinterposed between said projections and said dielectric member and spaced from said metallic part intermediate said projections. v 16. An insulatorv comprising a metallic part and an insulating member, said metallic part having resilient rojections thereon for transmitting mechanical stress to said dielectric member, and an ,envelop of resilient sheet metal interposed AYbetween said projections and said insulating member for allording resilient bearing on said insulating memier and for controlling the distribution of electrostatic iux in said insulating member, said envelope being spaced from said metallic art intermediate said projections.

1g. An insulator comprising a, pair of members, a shell of thin material inter sed between "said members for transmitting stress from one to the other, said shell having an irregular surface connected with one of said members, and yielding projections on` the other of lsaid `members for engalging said shell at spaced points thereon w i e projec-v tions thereof intermediate said points are said dielectric memid iierent said projections for 8tress pro l 1,4eojpeo free from supporting contact for distributin stress produced by a load supported by sai insulator.

18. An insulator comprising a pair of e bers having a sheet of resilient material i trposed therebetween for transmitting s liess from one of said members to theother, said sheet having an ir ular surface secured to one of said mem rs by connecting material, and spaced resiliently flexible projections on the other of said members arranged to engage said sheet at dili'erent points thereon for distributing stress produced by a load supported by said insulator.

19. An insulator comprising a dielectric member, a pin for said member, a resilientsheet metal shell inter osed .between said in and dielectric mem er for transmitting stress from oneA to the other, said sheli having an irregular surfacesecured to said di-- electric member by cement, and resilient projections on said pin havin engagement at their extremities only wit said shell at fpoints thereon lfor distributin ucedvby a load supported by sai insulators.

20. An inslulator comprising a supporting member and a dielectric member, resilient projections on said supporting member, and a sheet of yielding material carried by said projections and contacting with said projecf tions only at thereof, said ielectric member being connected with said supporting member by said sheet.

points spaced from the bases 21. An Insulator comprising a dielectric member, a supporting' member, and means for connectin said members comprisin a sheet of yiel in material ,having4 one ace thereof connecte with said dielectric member and yielding projections carried by said points on said sheet, a dielectric member,

and means for securing said dielectric member with said sheet of yielding material to form connection between said dielectric member and said supporting member.

V23. An insulator comprising a metallic member having s aced resiliently flexible rojections extending therefrom, an enve-A ope of yielding sheet material supported by the extremities of said projections and closing the interstices between said projections, a dielectric member, and connecting muteriel for securing said dielectric member toV said metallic member, said connecting ma 5 terial engaging said envelope but excluded l. cover of sheet materia for closing the spiice between said projections, and connectin material engaging said cover and exclude from said space by said cover.

25. AIn combination, a. dielectric member, a fitting for said membenhaving spaced projections thereon, a sheet metal cover carried by said projections and bridgingthe space therebetween, and connecting material for securing said fitting to said dielectric member, said material engaging seidv sheet metel cover and held ther.

thespaces between said projections..

In testimony whereof I have signed my eby fromV entering name to this specification on this 18th day of August, A. D. 1919.

\ ARTHUR O. AUSTIN. 

